Introduction

In this session, two friends and faculty colleagues at Schumacher College, UK – Stephan Harding and Andy Letcher, explore the importance of rediscovering the living, soulful qualities of nature in this time of ecological and climate breakdown. The session begins with Andy and Stephan each giving a brief summary of their understandings of the varied meanings of animism and the ecological self* in their own life and experience, followed by a conversation in which they will discuss emergent themes such as:

What is the nature of self – is it confined to our everyday, limited sense of being, or does its true nature somehow lie in the very fabric of the cosmos as a living whole?

And if so, how can we connect with the soul of things in the context of our global, mainstream culture that finds such questions meaningless?

Is a personal search for animism and our ecological self as important for solving the global crisis as it is to find ways of decreasing our direct physical impact on the natural world that sustains us?

 Join us for a stimulating session on these themes so vital for the future of our species and for our living planet.

 *The term ‘Ecological self’ was coined by Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess to describe our human potential for identifying with all living beings, through which we widen and deepen our sense of who we are as humble members of the community of planet Earth. This notion is at the heart of the philosophy of Deep Ecology, which you can explore with Stephan Harding in KFBG’s upcoming online course starting in June. Click here to learn more about this course.

Speaker

Stephan Harding Stephan is one of the founding members of Schumacher College, an international centre of transformative education for sustainable living, in Devon, UK. He coordinated and lectured on the master’s degree in holistic science for nearly two decades, besides teaching on many of the college's short courses. Stephan has taught alongside many of the world’s leading ecological thinkers and activists, including Arne Naess, the proponent of deep ecology, and James Lovelock, proponent of Gaia theory, as well as Fritjof Capra, Lynn Margulis, Brian Goodwin and Rupert Sheldrake. He is now the Deep Ecology fellow at Schumacher College and is a teacher on several ecological educational projects internationally.
Andy Letcher Dr Andy Letcher is a senior lecturer at Schumacher College, Devon, UK, where he is the programme lead for the MA in Engaged Ecology. This is a practice-based course that sits within Environmental Humanities and asks students three questions: what is place, who am I, and what can I do to address the ecological crisis? Andy has also taught on the MSc in Holistic Science and the MA in Ecology in Spirituality. He has doctorates in Ecology (University of Oxford) and the Study of Religion (King Alfred’s College, Winchester) and has published a range of articles that address the intersection of ecology and meaning. He also lectures at the University of Exeter.
Facilitator Ying Liang Ying has been in the front line of holistic learning and eco-community in China since graduating from Schumacher College (UK) with Masters in Economics for Transition. In 2018, she co-founded Schumi Learning Garden in a traditional Hakka village which has now become one of the pioneers in demonstrating alternative ways of rural revitalization. Since 2021, she has reoriented herself from leading the on-site centre to orchestrating and facilitating long-term online courses in the themes of re-wilding human nature and regenerative economics, together with teachers who have taught at Schumacher College, as well as being a collaborator of other education initiatives and a consultant and mentor of eco-communities.

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Date and Time:
28 May 2024 (Tuesday), 19:30 - 21:00 HKT

Format:
Zoom

Language:
English (supports simultaneous interpretation in Cantonese and Putonghua)

Language:
English

Fee:
A small donation to support our conservation work will be appreciated

Application:
Please click HERE for online registration by 19:00, 28 May 2024 HKT

Note
● You will receive an auto-reply confirmation email upon registration with the Zoom link attached.
● Please download and install Zoom on your device beforehand.
● In case of cancellation, you will be notified before the talk.

Enquiry
Email Ms Jamie Ngai at jamie.ngai@kfbg.org

More about Kadoorie Earth Programme
Kadoorie Earth Programme (KEP) is an initiative co-created by KFBG and its network of collaborators and volunteers. By integrating the various strands of KFBG’s nature conservation, sustainable living and holistic education programmes, it provides life-transforming learning experiences that reconnect people with themselves, each other and the rest of nature and enable them to cultivate resilience in the face of global challenges.